Lisa's Literary Life

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I read. I love to read. I love to read a lot. And I love to read a lot of different types of books. Come join me on a genre defying adventure! From history to Harry Potter; science to Stephen King; classics to comics; sci-fi, chick lit, young adult, biographies, fantasy, romance, bestsellers, indie authors, world issues, local flair - a true sampling for all ages and tastes.
Happy Reading to all and to all a Book Light!

I first read the book Little Women about two years ago. (Insert gasps of shock and disbelief - I know!) I had seen multiple versions of the movie when I was younger, but I never got around to reading the actual text until recently. The movie, of course made me a little angry. Maybe I was just refusing to see how any girl in her right mind would refuse a proposal from a pre-Batman Christian Bale, but I really wanted Jo and Laurie to be together. I wanted them to have a happily ever after and the Laurie/Amy and Jo/Professor pairings just didn't work for me.

Then I read the actual book Little Women. I think the deeper insight into the characters made things click for me. Suddenly Laurie's playful spirit complimented the artistic Amy and the Professor's scholarly intellect was a better challenge for brainy Jo. However, I know I'm not the only one who wondered about the what ifs of a Jo and Laurie pairing and it is this fictional love story that rests at the heart of Kelly O'Connor McNees's book The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott.

McNees sets her book in 1855 a year from which no journal entries or letters of the author Louisa May Alcott exist. A fictional version of Louisa is the protagonist of the story and with her parents and three sisters, she is also the reflection of her character Jo March. Similarly, a young boy Joseph Singer is fabricated into the tale and in McNees's imagination he is the boy who inspires the character Laurie.

This novel was a really interesting, albeit fictional, look at the life of Louisa May Alcott. The historical setting and facts from Alcott's life were smoothly blended with the story in a way that had me checking the afterword carefully to determine fact from fiction. For readers who enjoy a little game of "what if", this is an interesting and enjoyable book.

9 Response to "The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott"

This does sound interesting, and I'm a sucker for books like this. I read Little Women and Good Wives when I was younger and was very upset that Jo didn't end up with Laurie. I think Alcott just wanted to surprise her readers a little bit.

Hi Lisa. I enjoyed your review of The Lost Summer. It's been years since I read LITTLE WOMEN. Now I'm tempted to read it again and THEN read THE LOST SUMMER. You're doing a great service here, for author and reader alike. Thanks.

I love Alcott. I haven't read this one. I loved Little Women, Little Men and Jo's Boys. I also have The Inheritance which if I remember is her first novel written, but I haven't got into it the several times I tried to read it.

Hey thank you for visiting and the kind words about the ReCOVERy Friday meme. I loved it a lot myself, but there were always so few comments and participants that I had to quit it sometime. Now I've got a "Cover of the Week" section on my sidebar and post a cover comparison between US/German and another country each Thurday:)

Loved this book, I read it last spring. I only wish it were true. It's an impressive effort for a new author and it's doing well enough to be put out in paperback this coming May. Kudos to Kelly McNees!

I love all things Alcott and blog on her regularly if you'd like to learn more. We have a fun and lively community, come on over - http://louisamayalcottismypassion.wordpress.com/

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